Brotherhood
by Kibble Beast
Summary: Megatron had never actually wanted a sibling- then again, he didn't particularly have a choice in the matter.
1. Just Because It Ventilates

_Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family._

_Anthony Brandt._

* * *

He was an absolute pain as a brother.

Megatron had the feeling already- and the fiend had only onlined an orn ago. He himself was currently avoiding the family, quietly brooding in his room.

"Megatron, come and _see_ him!" his mother enthused through the wall.

"There's nothing to _see-!_"

He had refused to even glance at the bother since it had started ventilating.

It wasn't even as if he could complain to anybody; the parents didn't want anybody to know about the demon _just yet_. They wanted a moment's grace before Cybertron discovered that their rulers had not only just sparked, but that there was a sparkling Prime to admire and coo over.

It was bad enough already without further cause for attention.

Megatron glanced at the news-screen before him and didn't even bother to hold in a disgusted sigh.

_We haven't seen much of the Prime lately_, one headline declared, slowly running across the screen. _Exactly what is he doing?_

"Running Cybertron, you _idiots_," Megatron muttered, but even he had to admit that he was intrigued. Grudgingly, he began to read.

_She's a beautiful femme, _the article continued. _And he's a fine mech. It's no wonder they've produced one good-looking offspring already. Rumour has it that there may well be another Spark on the way. Let's hope it's another male._

If only they knew.

_There's another rumour that hostile Nebulans are preparing to engage in battle with Cybertron, and Sentinel Prime is attempting to avert a war. If so, he has a hard job on his hands. In fact, this theory is very likely- several sources agree that the Nebulans have been extremely and unusually active lately._

_Perhaps then, he will need the help of his sparkmate, Helix. We know that this is actually how they met- her skills as a diplomat are only met by her grace and ease of foreign communication._

_And if the sparkling theories were true, we're sure we would have seen Prime's Chief Medical Officer attending their abode more often._

Ha. Megatron knew that Ratchet was going to kill once he knew about it all. To be honest, it was rather incredible that he hadn't found out already.

"Don't be such a grouch," his father reprimanded Megatron's earlier sulky declaration, audibly beaming. "How many orns are you going to have a new brother on?"

"Depends on how often you two go at it," Megatron retorted (quietly).

"Oh, don't you worry about that," Sentinel beamed, somehow hearing him anyway. "We're done."

Of course they would be; they had their Prime now.

Megatron trudged his way to them with a loud, heavy sigh.

As he had known, nothing to see.

Just a bland, pale grey protoform.

"My life is fulfilled. Can I go now?"

"_Look_!" Helix nearly squealed, hands coming together in a clap as she gestured towards the 'sparkling'.

"I _am_ looking." Megatron scowled. "He's small, boring and recharging. Exactly what am I supposed to enthuse about?"

"Oh, Megatron."

"Well? He doesn't even have colours."

"Give him time," the femme defended. "He _will_."

"I didn't take this long- he hasn't even opened his _optics_ yet. Gurgling over him is pointless."

Oh no- that was a mistake.

"Maybe he'll take after his beautiful mother," Sentinel sighed happily, an arm around Helix's slight shoulders. "And they'll be a wondrous sunset-glow."

_Sunset-glow_? Mother's were orange, for Primus' sake.

"Maybe they'll be just like his brother's or his father's," Helix beamed. "A gorgeous Spark-catching blue or a serenely tranquil aquamarine-"

They had _blue_ optics. _Blue, **blue**_, without the _Spark-catching._ What kind of an adjective was that? Megatron certainly didn't feel like he had ever caught anybody's Spark.

"It didn't take _me_ this long," Megatron felt the need to point out.

"You were fast in all areas of development," the orange Prime admitted. "But this little mech might just want to take it at his own pace."

All this made Megatron want to purge.

"I'm going to commit suicide," he proclaimed, turning away. "Have a nice night."

"Have a nice recharge," they replied, busy cooing over the thing.

It wasn't even like it was doing anything. Surely it should be kept in a box until it actually resembled something alive. Just because it _ventilated _didn't mean it was alive.

Megatron scowled, and tried to think of pleasant things to drift off to recharge to. Like throwing the sparkling out of the window.

A contented smile flickered across his faceplates all night.

* * *

_Three orns _later, it still didn't have colours.

"Perhaps it's going to be transparent," Megatron suggested, peering at the nuisance in his mother's arms.

"Don't be ridiculous."

"Well, three orns is a long time to take it at _your own pace."_

"Megatron, you need to hold him," Helix suddenly announced, turning towards him.

"I need to do no such thing-" Megatron immediately stepped away.

"You need to spend some time with him," his father agreed. "Else your bond won't be strong."

"It's there already," Megatron hurriedly refuted. "If I wanted to, I could feel it. Wonderful. I'm going to go now-"

"_Megatron,_" the silver femme insisted firmly, gently, "hold your brother."

"But-"

"Don't stab him with your claws," Sentinel worried. "Remember that sparkling armour is very-"

He was silenced by a glance from Helix who approached the downcast young mech.

Protests were ignored, and the thing was carefully transferred from her arms into his.

Nothing exciting happened. It sort of shifted slightly in recharge before- surprise- doing nothing again.

"Well, this is awkward."

Megatron glanced up uncomfortably to see the adult Cybertronians watching him.

"What?"

"Our boys," his father sighed proudly.

"Oh joy, sentimentality."

"Do yourself a favour and shut up for once," Helix ordered. "Just _be_ with him."

"_It,_" Megatron corrected under his breath.

"We'll leave you to it!" they cried, hurrying from the room.

No doubt they would be using their scanners to detect exactly what was happening anyway.

Well, at least it was slightly less embarrassing now.

Megatron sighed heavily and returned to his room, flopping on the berth and closing his optics.

The thing- he had forgotten he had been holding it, it was so light- squeaked slightly.

"Sorry," he apologised automatically, glancing at it.

Startled, he looked again- it wasn't recharging. The thing appeared to be looking at him.

"It's rude to stare."

As it lay there, tiny grey limbs sprawled out over his chassis in all sorts of directions, it blinked.

"Ugh," Megatron realised. "They're going to be gushing over those optics. Very handsome. Blue. Bright. Just like father."

It didn't seem overly interested in this information. It just kept staring and blinking.

"PARENTS!" Megatron shouted. "Am I-"

"We're already recharging after such a hectic day!" Sentinel cried convincingly. "Afraid you'll have to look after Optimus tonight!"

"YAWN," Helix convincingly bellowed.

Megatron lay there in the dark, fuming. It didn't help that he could hear them both sniggering hysterically.

It never ceased to amaze Megatron what an absolute paradox his parents were.

In public they were the most serene and wise figures- in private, they seemed to become sparklings.

The sparkling itself blinked.

Megatron looked at the bland, grey thing eyeing him with unidentifiable mood, this tiny lifeform that was going to form opinions and know him and frustrate him and ruin his life.

It clicked, a leg wiggling.

"Hurry up and grow," Megatron scowled. "You're no fun as a half-sparked grey object. And at the same time, you should put some effort into developing your colours."

The sparkling clearly didn't understand a word he said.

"Stop staring at me," he warned, increasingly conscious of _it_. "...Fine, get off me."

He pushed it roughly off of his chassis- there was a squeak, but no further protest.

Smugness radiating from every part of his body, Megatron closed his optics again, giving one last threat. "If you _drool_ on my arm, sparkling, you will pay."

The demon whistled lowly, and that was enough for Megatron. The mocking sound was just too much, too much.

Megatron picked it up (gingerly and at arm's length), stormed out of his room and into his parents', then dropped it on their berth.

He stomped back out wordlessly, then decided to look out into the night and calm himself slightly- there was no possibility of getting to recharge when he was so uptight.

Crossing to a large window with a heavy sigh, he gazed out into the quiet blackness, tension ebbing at the sight of all those stars with so much life and possibility.

Contemplating the Universe only made him feel stronger- out of all the life out there, he was _Megatron_.

He would make his mark.

With a sigh, he pushed himself away from the window and padded softly to his room again, then froze at the sight of the demon, back in its original place.

"MOTHER!" Megatron roared. "What is _it_ doing in my _room-_!"

"I didn't put it there," she called back sweetly.

"Was it FATHER?"

"It wasn't!" he cheerfully shouted.

"_It_ did not get here by _itself_!"

"Who says?"

"I, Megatron!" He eyed it with disgust. "Who put you here, _thing_?"

If he had expected a reply, he wasn't getting one- the excuse of a brother was deep in recharge (on his _berth_, no less). Megatron considered his options. He could pick it up and take it out. Not likely- he didn't want to touch it. He could jab it awake and demand it moved. Not likely- all it did was sleep. To ask it to do anything might induce a processor meltdown. He could complain and be a general depressant until one of the parents caved and removed it. This was a possible strategy, although it would take up time.

With a grunting sigh of lethargy, Megatron flopped onto his berth.

Tonight his dreams were full of handing the demon over to Ratchet, who had several painful check-ups to complete.

_Too bad this hasn't come to my attention sooner_, the dream CMO announced, tapping a syringe. _Then it wouldn't be as excruciating!_

_

* * *

_

It wasn't daybreak when he awoke. This wasn't odd in itself- because he didn't actually ever recharge for too long- but why _so_ early? It wasn't even light.

Megatron yawned widely and sat up, then glanced to his right where the sparkling had been.

It was still recharging. Had it moved? No.

Immediately he was aware of another presence in the room- helm snapping to the left, it took a moment to register that his parents were standing at the door and beaming.

"ARGH," Megatron roared. "What are you _doing-!_"

"Watching you."

Dental plates gritted. "I _know_."

"We just wanted to see you and Optimus recharging together," Sentinel offered.

"So sweetly, as well."

"You sicken me!" Megatron cried. "I am _not _sweet!"

"You are when you're with him! Look at him, recharging away."

Three pairs of optics switched to behold the sleeping sparkling.

"That's a point- did I recharge this much?" Megatron demanded, irritated by the boringness of it all.

"No," his mother admitted. "But every sparkling is different-"

"You're making a lot of excuses for him. Are you sure he isn't a little _slow_ in the processor?"

"Megatron, we actually need to talk to you."

"'_To_' conveys I don't get to speak. You must mean you want to talk _with_ me."

"No."

Megatron huffed and grouched his way off of the berth.

The parents regarded him for a moment before glancing at each other hesitantly.

Helix decided to attack the problem head on. "There is a situation. Your father and I aren't going to be around very often."

"You're never around anyway," Megatron pointed out. "So that was an unnecessary declaration."

"You do have a penchant for melodrama."

"That's my boy!" Sentinel winked, fist-bumping his son's chassis.

Helix shot the mech a withering look and continued. "We aren't going to be here as much as we had hoped."

"Oh, no." Megatron saw where this was going.

"And we can't justify taking Optimus with us."

"Warzones," Sentinel nodded.

"Not a chance," Megatron breathed.

"So you get to look after him!"

Megatron allowed a moment for the comment to burn and wither, then began his excuses. "I have no sparkling-sitting experience."

"Don't be idiotic," Helix sighed. "You aren't sparkling-sitting him. You're his brother."

"And _thus_ I'm not his parent!"

"This is what elder brothers are for!" Sentinel cried enthusiastically.

"Elder brothers are for sneering and apathy," Megatron disagreed.

"Which you have absolutely perfected already."

Megatron continued, oblivious in denial. "They are for the occasional physical contact as the superior proves how worthless the younger sibling is and always will be in comparison."

"Are you saying that you're going to attack your sparkling brother?"

"Probably not," Megatron answered. "I actually meant in the future."

"Then you'll have plenty of time to train him up to be a challenge," Sentinel proposed. "We don't want to leave you, but our people need us, Megatron. One orn you might have to choose yourself- Primus forbid it."

"Choose between what?" the young Cybertronian asked, slightly irritated.

"Your duty and your own life."

"I don't _have_ any duties," Megatron snorted, trying to ignore how much the fact hurt. "I'm not a Prime, remember?"

Sentinel gave him a small smile. "We all have the duties we seek and the duties that choose us."

Megatron forced a replicate expression and turned to leave. "Well, at least I don't have to compile any mystical Primely sounding phrases."

"They're going to be the death of me," Helix muttered. "He never stops."

Sentinel offered a dorky giggle.

"When are you going?" Megatron asked quietly.

"We'll be gone tomorrow," the red mech replied, at least having the decency to look somewhat abashed. "...I'm sorry."

"What does it matter? You'll be back soon enough," Megatron justified with as much passion as he could muster.

After all, it wasn't anything out of the ordinary; sometimes Megatron thought that the public probably saw more of his parents than he did.

Each time they went, he had always waved them off cheerfully, melodramatically hurled himself at them or sulked until they'd promise to come back soon- he didn't anymore. There wasn't any point now; he was old enough to know it wouldn't make them return any quicker.

But that didn't mean his Spark ached any less.

* * *

When he woke in the morning, there was a faint sense of emptiness in his Spark.

Apparently they had already left, then. That was nice of them.

They hadn't even said goodbye, Megatron thought, bristling. Not even to the sparkling.

Upon thinking of the aforementioned menace, he caught sight of the beast.

With faint shock, he realised that apparently it was able to actually be awake.

"So," Megatron started brightly. "Did you know that our parents have left you with me? It won't be the last time, you know. Don't worry; I won't stop you from having wild parties or femmes over." He paused. "Not that you'll ever get a femme by recharging all the time and being bland and boring."

The sparkling squeaked and wiggled an arm at him.

"Yes, nice wave," Megatron agreed. "Now, here's the thing. I've had absolutely no choice in this matter whatsoever. I'll look after you as much as I can, but I do have a life of my own."

The mechling blinked, staring at him.

"I'm _not_ staying in here with you," the young mech informed, suddenly making up his mind. "I am going out. You can even drool on my berth if you want, but you stay here- wait. You look odd." He eyed it suspiciously.

It squeaked again, optics exceedingly bright.

Upon realising that the sparkling had slightly raised nubs on each side of his helm, Megatron triumphantly worked it out.

"You're _finally_ growing. Took your time, didn't you. Eh, soon enough you might actually look like a sparkling."

It blinked at him.

"Anyway, I'm going. _Stay. _Stay _there_," he commanded, pointing a claw at the berth. "Just recharge: shouldn't be too hard for you."

The sparkling whistled, waggling an arm.

"I'm not taking you. Anyway, berth is there- recharge."

Satisfied, Megatron ensured that the door was closed- wouldn't do to have said sparkling wandering around- before leaving.

He wasn't quite sure what he was going to do. He didn't particularly want to see anybody; talking wasn't what he wanted. Perhaps just a walk around the city? Again, perhaps not- he didn't want random mechs or femmes stalking him today. As presumptuous as it sounded, the public seemed like magnets; somehow always able to pick him out and prey on him.

He could fly a little- well, not that flying brought him much pleasure.

In the end, he settled for alighting on a rooftop and watching the skies, where he was entirely at peace.

He sat, optics lazily drifting about the expanse, basking in the orn. How long he sat there for, he didn't actually know, but the sky had begun to darken ever so slightly.

Faint spirals of smoke were the first indication that something was wrong.

But that was hindsight.

Megatron saw them from a way off -the curling wisps rising above the buildings- and frowned, his relaxed state slowly tensing and curling in on itself.

His Spark suddenly jolted, clenched in an unreasonable, deep fear.

The huge explosions shook the city a moment later- scalding heat seared across Megatron's faceplates- it took too many precious astroseconds to realise that the origin of the blast was his own home.

* * *

Ironhide and Ratchet were already there when he finally arrived- lubricant leaking from their optics in response to the heat.

"There's nothing left," the CMO whispered, voice unusually quiet. "I- I couldn't- there wasn't anything-"

"I'm sorry, Megatron-" Ironhide shuttered his optics.

"W-what?" the young mech stammered, chassis heaving with the exertion of speeding to the area.

Their faces said it all.

"Your parents," Ratchet managed to choke. "I can't- there's nothing left at all; just ashes-"

"No, no," Megatron shook his helm violently. "They're off-planet- they didn't want anybody to know-"

Ironhide blinked. "Are you _serious?_"

"Would I make it up?" With a heavy, relieved sigh (as if he had for a moment believed his parents were inside and had burned) Megatron glanced at the blaze, then froze. Somehow, it was even harder to choke out. "Optimus?"

"What?"

"My _brother_-"

He knew it would be too late.

Extensive training told him so.

It just wasn't possible to survive such a ferocious attack- but before he could even register the inescapable fact, he was already standing in the scorching wreckage of his home, heat pressing everywhere and anywhere- fire eager to consume him.

They were shouting, probably following, but there was no time to wait.

Hardly anything could be seen past the flames-

He could follow his Spark, it was tugging at him desperately- and then something cold snapped around his wrists- _stasis cuffs_?- and movement was no longer possible, and he was being pulled away, and he couldn't move, couldn't save-

"_Optimus!_" he howled desperately.

Ironhide tugged him resolutely out of the building, back out to the slightly cooler safety of the open air.

Ratchet was there immediately, pushing past some large mechs who knew no better than to try and stop him.

The sight of Ironhide's legendary cannons convinced them to stand back, and the medic was with him instantly.

"That armour of yours is ridiculously protective," Ratchet was shaking his helm in disbelief, no doubt conducting various scans as they started to lead him away. "You need to -"

He was outside; he should have been free, yet Megatron could still feel the suffocating pressure blinding him- and realised they had to understand. "My_brother's _in there!"

Ironhide shook his helm, shouting above the roaring blaze. "You don't _have_ a brother!"

"I do! Just- just listen to me!" Megatron pleaded desperately, voice breaking- it couldn't rise above the noise.

"You _don't_-"

"I _do_!" Megatron nearly bellowed. "He can't be-"

"How old?" Ratchet demanded suddenly, stopping. "How _old_?"

Megatron was taken aback by the sudden question. "Five- five orns?"

The medic disappeared back into the thunderous flames.

The next minute was the longest of his life- and even though the stasis cuffs kept him securely in place, a tense Ironhide didn't remove his hand from the young mech's shoulder.

Another minute passed-

And then he felt something. A slight nudge to his Spark-

And Ratchet reappeared from the devastation, headed straight for them- _holding something_- and Megatron wasn't sure when the stasis cuffs had been removed, but that didn't matter because he couldn't move anyway.

Ratchet reached them, wordlessly handed Megatron the something, and when the filthy, beautiful sparkling squeaked huskily at him, it was all he could do to not break down.

He held tightly onto the most precious thing in his life and swore to him that he was so, so sorry, that everything would be alright, that he'd take care of him, that no more harm would come to him, that he'd always be there.

Because that was what brothers were for, right?

* * *

Gosh, this one has been bouncing around my head for a while.

This first chapter has an odd edge to it, I think. I've written some more for this already, so don't worry. Humour ahead. C:

As far as I know, no canon source has confirmed the identities of Optimus' and Megatron's parents, hence I've gone for Sentinel and Helix. I don't usually write OCs, but Helix a) won't be around much, and b) just popped into my head.

Ah yes, I don't own Transformers, nor do I own Anthony Brandt. xP If you can own a human. 8/


	2. Nobody Sees

Huzzah, I'm alive. And whoops, something funny happened there with the updating. Apologies if you received multiple emails and were a bit afraid. xD

If you've read _Defiance_, you'll know that my whole version of the Transformers history completely diverges from canon. But _Defiance_ was absolutely rubbish, and not just because the artwork was slightly queer. The whole thing was absolutely hateful. These idiots don't even double-check with the already established canon from the first film. It was _stated_ that Megatron and Optimus ruled Cybertron together as twin brothers of the Dynasty, _stated_. Oh, hello Defiance! Optimus doesn't even know he's a Prime. WHUTTT.

I raged over that graphic novel, I really did.

(_I should stop ranting now. Sorry_.)

Moving swiftly on before I explode, this is going to be a little more angsty than I first realised- but because I doubt my ability to write a completely angstylicious fic, I won't. It's going to be a Kibbly-angst, which means occasional LULZ + fluff + sudden and unexpected angst.

Ah, sweet life.

Another note; Megatron has blue optics at this point, yeass. This might not have been noted last chapter, but all will make sense in time.

* * *

_We are not only our brother's keeper; in countless large and small ways, we are our brother's maker._

_Bonaro Overstreet_

_

* * *

_

Optimus is worried about Megatron.

There's something different about him now- not that anybody seems to have noticed. This worries Optimus more than anything; the fact that no one else sees.

Because Optimus sees.

But he can't explain, can't help.

It's odd that nobody notices, isn't it?

Then again, perhaps it is not.

Currently he is snuggled in Megatron's arms, as close as he can be to his brother's Spark.

It is comforting.

It is also unspeakably beautiful, and Optimus cannot believe that nobody else can hear it and feel it.

Mind you, he wouldn't want competition; Megatron is _his_ brother, and he would not want any random mech or femme stealing this prized place of proximity.

He does not know what is happening presently, so he has turned his attentions elsewhere.

It is better to spend his time wisely than to struggle to understand that which he cannot.

Megatron and the bright yellow mech are talking. The yellow mech is touching them both occasionally, but as Megatron is compliant, so is Optimus.

The tiny Cybertronian knows that he can trust this yellow mech because not only is he the one who carried Optimus out of the flames, but he also gave him back to Megatron.

Not to mention that he is quite nice to stare at, too.

Optimus coughs suddenly and a small cloud of blackness puffs into his vision, startling him into pressing back against Megatron's chassis with a squeak.

"Not too much physical damage," the yellow mech assures Megatron, who is also highly alarmed. "Surface, mainly."

"Ejection of _ash_ is fine?"

"Better out than in," the other Cybertronian declares.

The cheery lilt to his utterance comforts Optimus, but for some reason displeases Megatron.

"Do you have to be so delightedly cruel and detached about _everything_?"

"I'm not," Name-less mech replies. "I'll be furiously cruel when I get a hold of your parents."

Optimus is lost again.

He doesn't understand why, and it would be rude of him to interrupt the conversation and ask, so he returns to his research.

Optimus is far cleverer than they think he is- he wonders if it is this way for all sparklings.

He is currently searching databases, curious and desperate to discover about his impromptu guardian.

His searching is fairly slow and laboured, true, but he is learning so much.

From what he has discovered, it should be his creators who are caring for him, but they are not here. They _were, _but now Optimus does not know where they are. However, it is alright. He has his brother.

And his brother intrigues him.

After a long and hard search, Optimus uncovers holo-pictures of a past Megatron, a younger Megatron. Or is he an older Megatron, an older version?

Musings aside, it seems that his brother has always been withdrawn- he's usually in the background, deliberately hiding or turning away or pensively looking off at some temporarily intriguing sight.

There is something about him.

Perhaps Optimus is already biased, but something is unusual about his Megatron.

He cannot place it.

Optimus delves back further and suddenly Megatron is laughing.

He has been caught unawares, that much is certain.

Optimus does not know who has immortalised this moment, but a smaller Megatron is weak from laughter, blue optics brighter than the moons. He is being supported by another youngling who is also euphoric- though be it from the same cause of Megatron's delight or just that Megatron's laughter is infectious it is again unclear.

Optimus regards this for a time and compares his brother with this older-younger Megatron.

He has never seen Megatron laughing.

True, he has not known Megatron for long, but as he flicks quickly through all the images he has discovered and his brother becomes quieter and increasingly serious, Optimus doubts many have had this privilege.

Optimus returns to this unusual captured instant and studies it. He doesn't want to analyse it- it would be ruined.

He savours it.

What would he give to have a happy Megatron?

Optimus decides right then and there that this is what he wants; he would give his tiny world (as small and unimportant as it was) to make Megatron happy.

And immediately he falls into recharge, straight into the arms of a data-ghost.

Optimus has never had a data-ghost before, so at first he is unsure of what is happening. He seems to be there but simply not _real_.

_There is death here._

_Something calls to Optimus deep within his core, the type of which he has felt only once before, not long ago when heatwaves battered his sore dry senses and flames roared around him._

_And then he is surrounded by beings at once wonderfully familiar and wholly alien._

_And they whisper to each other, but he cannot hear them-_

_A wind blasts across from his right and the whole world shifts and the beings burst into smatterings of fading light, colours whirling and swirling into ashes as his surroundings reshape themselves into a black and grey mockery of life._

_Optimus can do nothing. Just like his real self, he is as limited here as he is there._

_He does not observe because observing indicates a detachment somehow, and he is very much a part of this. But he watches._

_There is a redness now. It dawns slowly from a solitary epicentre (not too far away) then spreads, slowly rippling across the ashes, creeping towards him._

_Optimus is afraid._

_Another presence fades into existence nearby and Optimus knows it- knows it just as surely as he knows that as glad as he is of its arrival, no good will come of it now._

_The subdued scarlet momentarily weakens to a dim burgundy and diverges._

_Perhaps Optimus is wrong? Perhaps he was mistaken and the red is no more?_

_But a quiet whiteness wraps itself around him, and the slow horror dawns upon Optimus that he has been saved._

_Saved from what?_

_The presence which had noiselessly arrived before is unaware of the colours- or perhaps it is aware but cannot perceive their true depth, for it remains still, just behind Optimus._

_Whichever it is, Optimus himself can only watch as the red re-emerges from its brief hiding and flickers across the ashes._

_He cannot turn now, or he would plead with the presence to go before it was too late._

_The redness floods around Optimus, but his white shield merely shimmers and it surges back, spitting and hissing before rushing at the other target._

_There is no protection for this quiet keeper and Optimus cries silently, finally able to turn- but he does not, because he does not want to see the redness consume the other; he somehow sees what is happening without looking. The other is lost before blasting into a furious crimson that hurts his optics and blinds his processor. And there is laughter with the redness now covering the ashes, echoing and fading into existence so suddenly that he could have imagined it._

So when he bolts upright, optics wide and ventilating heavily, it takes Optimus several moments to ascertain that he is in Megatron's arms and that his brother is holding him closely.

Megatron clicks to him softly, noting his distress. "I've got you. It's alright, Optimus."

It isn't, Optimus whispers, staring into the other's optics. Hell is coming.

"A dream?" asks the frowning yellow mech, eyeing him concernedly.

He seems oddly placed, Optimus randomly notices. As if he had rushed over.

"Nightmare, I think," Megatron replies.

No, Optimus says. It was too real.

He must have fallen into recharge whilst they were talking, but had absolutely no idea how long for. But this doesn't matter now; the future is nearly upon them.

Optimus thinks and he thinks, because even the mute must communicate.

In fact, he is thinking so desperately that he manages to lose track of everything, even time and space.

"What's wrong with him?" Megatron is suddenly saying, deep voice suddenly breaking Optimus out of his processor.

Optimus jumps in surprise, blinking rapidly to focus. He isn't being held by Megatron anymore.

This is not good. This is not safe.

Give me back to Megatron, he orders, whistling to emphasise his displeasure. Quickly.

The yellow mech abruptly filling his vision is important, he knows that much. Why doesn't anybody tell him who he is?

Who is he? Optimus demands of Megatron, but his brother is listening attentively to the other adult.

"He is _comple-tely_ distracted. Or bored of this, which he can't be. I'm luminous; I'm exciting for sparklings. I assume he's in shock." A pause. "I want you two to stay here tonight under supervision."

"Where exactly were we supposed to go anyway?" Megatron points out. "Unless you'd cast us out into the ashes of our not-home."

"Ha_ha_," the exciting luminous mech replies sardonically. "I'll complete my examination of him tomorrow. He should be more settled by then."

"_'Should_,'" Megatron repeats monotonically. "It is quite clear already that Optimus doesn't like ordinariness."

"Go away, whiner- and take this wretched thing with you."

Megatron picks him up awkwardly but gently as Optimus looks around for the wretched thing, but he can't see anything.

What is he talking about? Optimus asks, confused. Wretched thing?

"Ratchet is deprived of love," Megatron tells him secretively with a tiny grin. "So he takes it out on everybody. You'll soon grow to predict his insults."

"I'll have you know that I spend a good while creating original abuse," Ratchet mock-snarls.

"Doesn't show," Megatron returns speedily before hastily heading out of the door.

"I'll get you for that," Ratchet was muttering lowly as he followed.

You'll have to get through me first, Optimus threatens whilst peering over Megatron's shoulder. Grr.

Ratchet hears the growl and wrinkles his nasal-plates. "Down, ferocious beast."

Optimus settles back after one last growl and re-snuggles against Megatron's chassis, glancing up as he does so.

A slight smile is gracing his brother's all-too-serious face, and the very sight almost causes Optimus to burst with adoration.

"_There_," Ratchet suddenly announces, and Megatron enters a fairly large room. "And before you ask, you and your shouldn't-exist sibling are in here for as long as you require it."

His brother is quiet again. "Thank you, Ratch. You-"

The yellow mech rolls his optics. "Shut up, you idiot."

Optimus giggles. He bets that hardly anyone tells Megatron to shut up. He doesn't know what it means, but it sounds amusing.

And after a good while, Ratchet disappears.

Optimus is almost disappointed by this, because Ratchet is amusing and pretty, but his attention is immediately taken by Megatron, who promptly lies down on the berth and plonks Optimus by his side.

No, Optimus growls, and tries to climb onto Megatron's chassis- but as his limbs only wiggle pathetically, he fails miserably.

Megatron faintly notices this plight through interested optics. "What are you doing?"

Up, Optimus orders. On your chassis I feel _home_! I know I haven't lived long enough to really have a home, but I feel what I think home feels like with you.

Megatron frowns at him.

Optimus sighs in exasperation.

"Did you just roll your optics at me?" Megatron asks disbelievingly.

Did I? Optimus wonders with a small shock of glee.

A moan. "Ratchet has perverted you _already_."

And as though it is a cautious after-thought, Megatron raises his arm and delicately rolls a giggling Optimus under it until back-first, the sparkling nestles into his brother's side with a soft whistle.

"You had better not be giggling all night," the young mech groan-wails.

I need my recharge too, Optimus points out. It would be ridiculous for me to giggle when I could be spending time growing.

Because now he knows what had to be done.

Optimus has been shown this- this _vision_ for a reason, he is sure, just as sure as he is that this is not just his processor playing games. His Spark weighs heavy, and he is sure that something is wrong.

Something is coming.

He may not understand much because he is a sparkling, but he knows that his brother cannot face this alone.

And so Optimus _wills_ himself to grow because he must save Megatron, and he thinks he knows how.

Because Optimus is afraid for Megatron now, and he cannot help him.

But he can warn him.

* * *

I know this was fairly short, but this was the place to stop. Oppy chapters will be short until he grows up some. (x

Thank you for reviewings and addings last chapter. (: It means a lot to me.

And oh dear, poor Optimus. If anybody can decode his dream or guess at the warning he'll give, you're welcome to try.

Your prize?

...Oh, there'll be a prize. I'll notify you if you get it right. ;D

Good luck!


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